News 14:00

BULLETIN 30 October 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA takes legal steps to force the release of the crime statistics
# The Madlanga commission hears Matlala wanted minister Mchunu’s help after a police raid on his home
# And five more suspects are arrested for the daring Louvre robbery, but no jewellery is yet recovered

# The DA has filed a Promotion of Access to Information Act application to compel the Pollice Service and acting minister Firoz Cachalia to release the long-overdue crime statistics for the quarter between January and March. The DA’s Police spokesperson, Lisa Schickerling, says despite repeated requests and promises, the data remains withheld. She warns that concealing crime figures undermines transparency, accountability, and public trust in law enforcement:

# Witness C says businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala sought help from Police minister Senzo Mchunu after a police raid on his Pretoria home in December last year, while searching for kidnapped businessman Jerry Boshoga. Witness C told the Madlanga commission Matlala asked Mchunu to intervene by identifying the officers involved in the raid using tracking devices. He adds Matlala later felt used and unprotected, believing his support for Mchunu’s ANC presidential campaign was not being repaid:

Moving abroad:

# French police have arrested five more people in connection with this month’s daring Louvre museum robbery, including a prime suspect whose DNA was found at the scene. Four thieves used a truck with a moving lift and cutting gear to break into a first-floor gallery on October 19, fleeing with historic jewellery worth an estimated 1.7-billion-rand. The latest arrests come after two suspects were charged with theft and criminal conspiracy yesterday. None of the loot has been found yet.

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has warned Safa to ensure the crop of junior players don’t get lost in the system. He asked the governing body for frequent camps and friendly encounters, saying only taking them young players to the junior Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup wasn’t enough. Broos says South Africa should work with its available young talent. He announced he plans to start integrating junior national players into the Bafana system to build a platform from where the country can achieve greater things.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-27-cents and the euro at 20-rand-6-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-and-40-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-985-dollars-35-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-82-cents a barrel.

# And finally: CapeNature will be transitioning to a fully cashless payment system at five of its flagship nature reserves from the second of February next year. The five reserves are Robberg and Keurbooms in Plettenberg Bay, Betty’s Bay Stony Point reserve, Bird Island in Lambert’s Bay and Walker Bay in Hermanus. Cape Nature’s spokesperson, Luke Folb, says this move is in line with its commitment to service excellence, sustainability, and safety:

Stay tuned for more news………….